The Metasurfaces team conducts both theoretical and experimental research on a variety of topics ranging from nanophotonics to subwavelength optics. Leveraging its expertise, the team develops ultra-thin optical components known as metasurfaces and works on integrating them into imaging devices and systems for manipulating light emitted by laser sources.
The use of high-bandgap semiconductors, particularly gallium nitride, developed at CRHEA, opens up new possibilities such as the creation of metasurfaces that emit light directionally, or active metasurfaces whose optical response can be modulated at high frequencies. To create active metasurfaces, we are also exploring the use of other types of materials, such as phase-change materials or liquid crystals.
The work of the Metasurfaces team thus has two main objectives:
- First, we will pursue “fundamental” research projects on light scattering and related physical concepts. This will enable us to propose new concepts for controlling light at the nanoscale, as well as computational tools to facilitate the design of metasurfaces. We can then use these tools and concepts to create innovative metasurfaces.
- The next step is to apply metasurfaces in practical applications for imaging or for controlling laser emission. In particular, the team is working on using metasurfaces to develop more efficient LIDAR systems, to improve the performance of infrared detectors, and to develop optical characterization tools for measuring the phase and polarization of light. We are also interested in the use of metasurfaces in medical imaging devices and biosensors. Finally, the team has demonstrated the possibility of controlling semiconductor laser emission by integrating metasurfaces to generate optical vortices, for example.
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